Can I Get A Witness?

 
If you have been in church for more than 5 minutes you have probably heard someone talk about witnessing. As I opened the book of Acts this morning, that word really jumped at me. As part of my preparation for the mission trip in July, I am diving into Acts. Today, I read the first chapter in two different versions. I plan to read still two more. Compare, contrast and see what I glean from the chapter. My plan is to approach each chapter this way. To take some time and really dig for what God wants to communicate to my spirit.

What Does It Mean

That being said, witness comes up in the first chapter of Acts. I hear it all the time. I know what a witness is, I spent a lot of time in court as a probation officer. Despite my inclination to rely on my own understanding, I referenced the dictionary. Dictionary.com provides a few definitions. The first is obvious: 1) "a person who sees and event, typically a crime or accident, take place." and 2) "evidence; proof". If you read a little further you get the verb definitions of "give or serve as evidence of; testify to:" and "openly profess one's religious faith".
 
I sat on the witness stand hundreds of times. Regardless of the circumstance, I was always anxious by the weight that circumstance carried. As a probation officer, my testimony could condemn a person to prison. My words and account of events could take a person from their family and remand them to the custody of the state. You may be thinking "they are criminals, they deserve what they get". I don't disagree, but working in criminal justice you see the ripple of that "just desserts" mindset. You see the child crying for a mother or father that you know is a terrible parent. You become the bad guy in so many people's story. One of my first arrests, was a woman who was 9 months pregnant. I had an obligation to serve the warrant. I cried almost as much as she did when she was being booked.

What Does It Really Mean

What's the point of that tangent? Being a witness, giving testimony is powerful. Eye witness accounts are the most compelling in court. I can show you compelling evidence, but a witness touches your heart, mind...your soul. Cases are dismissed for lack of witnesses. Witness and testimony are powerful...even in our broken world.
 
In Acts we are 1:8 is says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." What does a witness do? They testify! They share their experience. They tell you what they saw and felt. Every element of our senses is a component of our testimony. We are the evidence of our faith. 
 
I know at least one Pastor reads my blog on occasion and I imagine that he is giving a sigh of relief that someone finally gets it. Our health, our prosperity, our unmerited favor are all evidence that we are different. We constantly over complicate it. Okay, I constantly over complicate it - maybe you got this years ago. I tell people all you have to do is share your story of faith. That is witnessing, but I was scared to call it that...why?

Why? Why? Why?

Why? Well, the devil wants to confuse us and complicate our efforts. He wants us to be scared to witness to others. He wants to discredit our testimony. Have you heard the question, "If Christianity were a crime, could you be convicted?" Well...would you? When the enemy attacks us it looks and feels very much like a courtroom drama. The attorney digging into our story, looking for holes, making us doubt ourselves, and then there is the evidence. An attorney working to discredit a witness is going to throw anything at the witness they believe might stick. Our enemy, the devil, has been doing this even before humanity was breathed into existence by God the Father.
 
Why does he push so hard? He knows who wins the war. He knows God will beat him. However, he also knows that every person, every soul he snatches hurts God. We have free will, which makes our love of God that much sweeter. Our devotion is not mandated, it is desired. Some people struggle with this idea. Let me put it this way. You child is supposed to take the trash out. You have to remind him over and over again. then you have to threaten to ground him. Eventually, he begrudgingly takes the trash out or you do it yourself our of frustration. Now imagine if he just took the trash out, without argument, delay or pleading. Which scenario brings you joy? When my kids clean something without being hassled to do it...it is a welcomed, much loved surprise. 
 
God could strong arm us into compliance and demand us to conform to His will. Instead, it is our choice. It is a sweet choice that brings joy. Why aren't we shouting it from the roof tops? Take your joy, your favor, your healing, your salvation and SHARE IT! Talk about how good God is. Tell a friend or co-worker about your healing. Tell people about God's provision. TESTIFY! Be the witness you were called to be by Jesus. It is not even that hard to do.
 
 
 
 

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